Tech AI and AR to be used in evacuation drill apps

Iwaki City in Fukushima is set to conduct a disaster drill on 3 March using technology that overlays evacuation routes onto the view from a smartphone camera, based on the user's location. The tsunami evacuation drill, to be conducted around Aeon Mall Iwaki Onahama near the Pacific coast, is said to be the first in Japan to incorporate technology from the metaverse.



The app was developed by Kyushu and Tohoku universities with support from Aeon Co. and the city of Iwaki. The current surroundings are displayed when the app is activated, and large arrows indicating evacuation routes are shown on the sidewalk. Additionally, messages such as "A tsunami is coming! Please evacuate quickly!" will appear on the screen. Users can also provide information to the app. On the day of the drill, there will also be spots where evacuees can get advice from AI avatars to support evacuation shelter operations.

Aeon Mall Iwaki Onahama opened in 2018 in the Onahama district, which was badly damaged by the tsunami following the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The building is designed to withstand tsunamis up to about 6 meters in height, and furthermore has its shops and utilities including water and electricity equipment on the second floor or higher, making it a "disaster prevention mall" and an ideal spot for the evacuation drill.

Click to expand...